The child-porn trial of Fredericton broadcaster Dennis Melanson continues in New Brunswick provincial court on Friday after hearing from his former boss on Thursday.

Terri Willis, who was supervising producer of Melanson's Rogers Television talk show, testified on the second day of his trial on charges of accessing child pornography.

Willis told Judge Graydon Nicholas that she, Melanson and producer Patrick Watt held bi-weekly story meetings starting some time in January 2005.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Howard Peters, she said the meetings helped make sure stories met the show's guidelines.

"We wanted things that made people talk," she told the court, and agreed that controversial topics made people talk.

Earlier, Fredericton police Const. Robb Costello testified that in May 2005 Melanson admitted to looking at questionable websites in his research for a show on child porn.

Willis said she doesn't recall Melanson having ever pitched a story on child pornography, but she also said he didn't need her permission to research a story.

She also told the court she returned from a year's maternity leave in December 2004. During her leave, Melanson's employment status with Rogers changed. He was no longer a Rogers employee, but worked on contract.

With that change, Melanson lost access to computers at Rogers. Although that loss didn't happen immediately, Willis said he was cut off shortly after her return.

When asked how Melanson was then able to do research for his show, Willis responded he used the ID of another employee.

She said the ID used was Watt's. Police say Watt is not suspected of any involvement.

Crown prosecutor Kathryn Gregory asked Nicholas to admit analysis of a CD-ROM that included temporary internet files related to Melanson's research. But the CD itself has gone missing and Nicholas said the analysis of its contents couldn't be admitted.